Next addition to my quiver

01-23-2013, 02:23 PM

Ok guys I love my Potatonator and my BP, but I think I need a board for those good days when the waves are steeper, more powerful. I mainly surf the Gold Coast, Snappers, Cooly, and Currumbin Beach break when it's working (just to avoid the crowds!!). I'm up for suggestions I was think a Hellfire as it's origins are the same family as the nators and I love the way the PN rides. What are your expert opinions, keep in mind I'm your average Joe surfer, I just find a bit more rocker would be good for tyhose late take offs and steeper faces on the better days out on the points.

Also I like the volume in my PN and BP should I stay the same and go a 6'6"?? (if I go the Hellfire)

The Hellfire would be great. That and the hellrazor. I'd also throw the Alternator into that mix although I'm not sure what availability is like at the moment. Based on your volume preferences you'd be a 6'6" Hellfire, 6'8" Alt and I think it would be a 6'9" Hellrazor.

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Youngy...I think the main thing you should think of is planing area. I loved the HF but...it has quite a narrow nose, particularly compared to the PN so its not going to paddle you as well as one of the other Performance Hybrids in the range. I would be looking at board like the Jacknife, Activator and Chubby Chedda or the Spitfire. You could also look at the Stealth or Futura as special orders....I just think the HF will be too performance for you at this stage particularly when coming down from the BP and PN.

I think the JK might be the ticket for you, it is a good paddler and can handle steeper quality waves with ease. The HF would still be a good option too I think, it doesn't paddle quite as well as the JK but it isn't that far behind it, you can overcome this also by positioning closer to the breaking point. I would rule the spitfire out, I just think there would be too much overlap with the PN and not enough top end.

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50young,
I'm only a couple of kgs lighter than you (though a bit taller at 188cm).
I have the 604 HF and that is WAY enough volume (in fact I'd swap it to 602 with a bight of 20/20 hindsight).
I'd have thought a 606 or 608 would have you with a bit too much??

Just my 2c, as I found the Hellfire a little harder to throw around with the higher volume, but I guess we all have our volume preferences.

Thanks for the input guys, Slowman, The JK and HF look quite similar in shape the dims are very similar what would you asay are the differences in ride?

50young, in the flesh they are quite different. The HF nose is narrower, the tail is wider and thicker and the single to double concave is very deep and obvious. The JK nose and tail thin out quite a bit and the bottom contours are more subtle, the JK has slightly less rocker than the HF in the nose and more in the tail.

For me the HF has an extra ounce of magic in it, the JK is a good board, turns easily as does the HF but the HF just seems to do it a bit more explosively. though there is still something quite nice about the way the JK flies down the line and handles, it has a lot of hold. The tail will not slide whereas you can get the HF to slide but it feels very controllable. I think the JK would handle the barrel better than the HF and seems to track better through lumpy waves when the HF seems to bounce around and get skatey, or am I just doing little chop hops? LOL

The JK is still a bit of a work in progress as I'm experimenting with some different fins, currently TC redlines in front and plan to put aqualines in the rear quads, got some 3" sidebites in there today and it was starting to slide a bit. I want to see if I can get it as loose and magical as the HF or closer to it.

So it depends what you want, a board with a more conventional feel or something that feels a little wild.

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To be honest I think in better waves the Hellfire, Hellrazor, Alternator and indeed the Unibrow would all be fine choices. In better waves the wave itself creates sufficient planing speed the board becomes quite stable, even if relatively narrow. In any event none of those boards are particularly narrow. Not to diss the other suggestions but I just think a more standard shortboard shape should be fine, particularly those more forgiving versions of them.

Fan, to be honest I haven't ridden the dom for a long time but as far as groveling goes it's much of a muchness. The dom goes vertical nicely, as does the spit, but won't turn as tightly and quickly, so that's why I hardly ever ride it. The spit does everything the dom does and more. I've often thought of trading the spit in for a 5'10 PN but I have been so pleased with how well it grovels for me I just haven't been bothered. I can surf 1' waves on it and do manoeuvres so I'm happy, maybe I'd be even happier on the PN. Maybe I should trade the dom in.

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Fan, to be honest I haven't ridden the dom for a long time but as far as groveling goes it's much of a muchness. The dom goes vertical nicely, as does the spit, but won't turn as tightly and quickly, so that's why I hardly ever ride it. The spit does everything the dom does and more. I've often thought of trading the spit in for a 5'10 PN but I have been so pleased with how well it grovels for me I just haven't been bothered. I can surf 1' waves on it and do manoeuvres so I'm happy, maybe I'd be even happier on the PN. Maybe I should trade the dom in.

Go and have a look at one first...the 5'10 PN is meant to be 2.5 but it looks like at least 2 5/8 or more....the Spit / Dom is waaay thinner but they are meant to be the same....I know what you mean re the Spit but it just doesnt grovel the same as a PN...but as they say..whatever floats your boat.